First Pork Butt ?s

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Hence the reason TBS, thin  blue smoke. Hmmm, I wondered, so how do we keep it "bluish" ?
There's a million answers to that, which is what makes it such an art. The biggest thing for me is to add small amounts of wood consistently, not large amounts all at once and don't starve out for air. If you have a too much fuel you'll have to choose between it being too hot or staving it which leads to white smoke. It will take a while to get to know your smoker, but at some point you'll know to add 1 small log every x minutes.
 

Ok..off and running. Molasses first then JJ's Mild Bubba Q Rub. Placed in wrap and the fridge. I'm gonna get up really early... 4ish and put it on the MES. This way I'll get the smoke going and be back up early and have time for it to rest for a couple hours and hopefully be ready around 5p on Sun.

So I am still a bit unsure about my timing....

I have a 71/2 pounder bone in, I would like to serve it around 5-6pm Sun. I don't have the AMNPS so I am using wood chips in the MES which give me what, bout 40 mins TBS. I should do it over night but want to get enough smoke before I hit the sack about midnight, but then don't want it to cook too long if I get up at 7ish? Little help with timing. I don't plan on foiling until the rest period. Thanks again guys.
 
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If I missed it, my apologies, but am not sure if you said what thermometers you were using.

By using my Maverick, I have learned that my MES(40) has huge mood swings...and thats normal.
I set my MES to 235 degrees to imitate an approximate temp of 225.
The temp swings (on mine)from 204 to about 258 as the heating element goes on and off. The average is close enough to 225 for my liking. :)

After I learned my temp swings, I became far more comfortable using it.
 
For JJ or anyone else who knows please....

So if I opt out of the foiling phase @ 165* and just let it cook the whole time to 205*,  when do I add the finishing sauce?

For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork:  Make a Double batch, skip the Butter.

Add 1/2 the batch to the Foil Pack or place it in a Pan with your Butt, when the IT hits 165*F.

Cover the pan with foil and continue to heat to 205*F for pulling.

At 205* rest or hold the Butt in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.

Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan with the pan Juices and any additional reserved Foiling Juice to moisten and Serve...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.

When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crock pot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while  the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crock pot to 165*F and Serve.

Note: the addition of the reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider should make the PP moist but not Swimming.
 
If I missed it, my apologies, but am not sure if you said what thermometers you were using.

By using my Maverick, I have learned that my MES(40) has huge mood swings...and thats normal.
I set my MES to 235 degrees to imitate an approximate temp of 225.
The temp swings (on mine)from 204 to about 258 as the heating element goes on and off. The average is close enough to 225 for my liking. :)

After I learned my temp swings, I became far more comfortable using it.
Ya know what, Bullitz, someone told me yesterday at the market that the MES has temp swings and that his is about 10 degrees off. I have the Taylor temp gauge with probe and gauge that sits outside the MES with an IT alarm for what I set it at. I'll hafta set my MES at a temp and toss in the probe by itself and see the comparison I suppose?
 
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My LEARNED philosophy is to not trust any temp readings on the MES. The cabinet and probe sensors, even when practically touching, have temperatures that will move in opposite directions. THAT is my one complaint about the MES.
 
Looking perfect so far. Thumbs Up

You have hit the stall temp. That's normal. It will start rising soon enough. Definitely post pic of the finished product!
 
Looks good to me, you are going to have a really dark bark.

I would foil it until 195 temp and the finish no foil. But I don't like super dark bark.

That's the best thing about butts, and bbq in general, you do what you like! There is no real "wrong" way.
 
Thanks guys for the encouragement. I have a grin ear to ear over this and my mouth is watering thinking about eating this. It's time consuming and work butt OH so fun and well worth it.

Not sure bout the whole bark thing yet as this is my first PP, I think I'll leave it as is and experiment. Maybe foil next time. Will the bark keep gettin darker? / Burnt? (so to speak)
 
Your Bark looks fine to me. It will get a bit darker and thicker as the surface dries but that will get mixed in at the end, softening and adding a TON of flavor. In fact ALL the smoke flavor for the entire batch of meat comes from the mixed in Bark.. Since you are not foiling, add the Foiling Juice/Sweet Finishing Sauce at the end, after you pull the meat. Add it a bit at a time until the meat is moist, shiny and flavorful but not swimming in juice. If there is leftover juice, save it. Leftover meat will absorb the juice and you can add more as you reheat the leftovers. If you are using a drip pan, remove the bulk of the fat from the drippings and add the pan juices too or mix them into a batch of beans, good stuff!...JJ
 
 
Your Bark looks fine to me. It will get a bit darker and thicker as the surface dries but that will get mixed in at the end, softening and adding a TON of flavor. In fact ALL the smoke flavor for the entire batch of meat comes from the mixed in Bark.. Since you are not foiling, add the Foiling Juice/Sweet Finishing Sauce at the end, after you pull the meat. Add it a bit at a time until the meat is moist, shiny and flavorful but not swimming in juice. If there is leftover juice, save it. Leftover meat will absorb the juice and you can add more as you reheat the leftovers. If you are using a drip pan, remove the bulk of the fat from the drippings and add the pan juices too or mix them into a batch of beans, good stuff!...JJ
Awesome JJ, thanks man. 
 
Since no one replied, I looked around and found that finishing sauce can be added AFTER its "pulled".
Dunno if I would do that though.
You can also use a finishing sauce during reheating to help from drying.

For JJ or anyone else who knows please....

So if I opt out of the foiling phase @ 165* and just let it cook the whole time to 205*,  when do I add the finishing sauce?


For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork: Make a Double batch, skip the Butter.

Add 1/2 the batch to the Foil Pack or place it in a Pan with your Butt, when the IT hits 165*F.
Cover the pan with foil and continue to heat to 205*F for pulling.
At 205* rest or hold the Butt in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.
Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan with the pan Juices and any additional reserved Foiling Juice to moisten and Serve...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.
When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crock pot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while  the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crock pot to 165*F and Serve.
Note: the addition of the reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider should make the PP moist but not Swimming.
 
Since no one replied, I looked around and found that finishing sauce can be added AFTER its "pulled".
Dunno if I would do that though.
You can also use a finishing sauce during reheating to help from drying.
Yes sir, thanks...I have it foiled and toweled now and resting in the cooler. Gonna pull at 5 and chow. I'll post a couple more pics.
 
Cant wait to see pics.
 

Can you also review your thoughts on the beans, please?  Am just as curious about those as I am the pork.
 
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